barrens chat
In Oathbringer, Dalinar thinks to himself "He couldn't write to them of course, but he could flip the reed on and off to send signals, an old generals trick for when you lacked a scribe." But I thought spanreeds were a relatively new invention? Thoughts?
Peter Ahlstrom
"Old" is relative.
Chaim
I understand that although Shadesmar is a Rosharan term, Brandon sometimes uses it generically to refer to the Cognitive Realm. But I would not have expected Khriss to do the same (AU, Drominad system). Is that a mistake or deliberate?
Peter Ahlstrom
As far as I know, it is not a Rosharan term.
Chaim
My understanding came from several WoB, such as https://wob.coppermind.net/events/221-words-of-radiance-omaha-signing/#e7199 … and https://wob.coppermind.net/events/225-words-of-radiance-san-diego-signing/#e5814 … . While obviously not canon, can you clarify with Brandon?
Peter Ahlstrom
Eh, well the first quote actually answers the question. Whatever word people use throughout the cosmere, Brandon translates it as Shadesmar in the books. I still think the word is widely used though.
Chaim
I think that in the first quote when he says "these books" he is referring to Stormlight. Hence the reference to Wit, whose words are translated to Rosharan and Cognitive Realm is thus translated to Shadesmar. Have you found Shadesmar anywhere else in the cosmere?
Peter Ahlstrom
Well, clearly Khriss calls it that too. :)
Strm
Could you Feruchemically store in someone else's earring while you are both touching it?
Peter Ahlstrom
I think you could, but only you would be able to use what you stored in it.
Zeke.0
We've seen that it's possible to bond multiple Shardblades, what about multiple spren?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO!
Benjamin Gilyot
Does corn exist in the cosmere?
Peter Ahlstrom
Yes, on at least one planet.
JRB
I’'m trying to understand why you made Kaladin such a coward....and I'm coming up short. Why?
Brandon Sanderson
I wouldn't call him a coward. I'd call him a guy with severe PTSD who is having a rough time working through it.
Marina Pimentel
In what type of glassware did Wayne serve the Blue Sunset to MeLaan? Asking for reasons.
Brandon Sanderson
I imagined like a tall cordial glass, without much of a base on it.
Lucas Raines
Have you thought about writing an actual Way of Kings, by Nohadon. I personally would love to read that.
Brandon Sanderson
I have considered it, but only briefly. It feels like a ton of work.
HistoryMonster
The tumblr side of the fandom is wondering what kind of steel (carbon steel, stainless steel, weathering steel, etc) Chicago was transformed into by Steelheart in that book...is this known? (We were wondering if "the Bean" was changed...sorry).
Peter Ahlstrom
Good question. I don't know.
Overlord Jebus
is there a word for baby chulls and if not, can it be chulldren?
Brandon Sanderson
The baby form is a chull cremling. Sorry...
Craig
Hold on. Are you saying that when we see cremlings, they are at least some of the time immature forms of other creatures? Or is it just a broadly used term?
Peter Ahlstrom
Some of the time they are!
Miranda Orpin
Excuse me [Mr. Sanderson], I’m just reading Words of Radiance & something struck me. Is Bridge Four’s salute anything like the Wakandan salute from Black Panther?
Brandon Sanderson
Very close. It isn't done across the chest though, but with the hands held out.
Jeff Swarts
WOR, why can no one hear/see Sylphrena but they can see Pattern?
Brandon Sanderson
Different spren have different properties. They talk about this in the series at some point, I believe.
Pelham TP
Sadly I am currently suffering with toothache. However as the waves of pain fluctuate through my jaw I am reminded of the two blind men discussion with Hoid and Shallan. I understand the beauty of pain receding. I wondered if you endured a similar experience when you were writing that passage.
Brandon Sanderson
Similar, yes, but scenes like that are always part my experience, part my extrapolation of what the character might have experienced.
Benjamin Akpojaro
PLEASE tell me you're already in talks to turn The Stormlight Archive into a big screen fantasy extravaganza??!!
Brandon Sanderson
These days, I'm pretty sure small screen is more likely, considering the size of the books. But we're trying.
Jack Eaton
Can Hemalurgy steal a Nahel bond? And if so, would that bond be unbreakable for as long as the spike was implanted.
Brandon Sanderson
This is a very dangerous and frightening thing in the cosmere, but it is possible--and the implications of it are something I intend to cover eventually in the books.
Dean Cook
Finished Era 2 of Mistborn again, I really can't get enough of Wayne and Wax. Will this 'secret project' effect the timeline of Book 4?
Brandon Sanderson
It shouldn't, but it depends on how long it takes. (I'm almost done with it, though.)
Stormborn125
Are the Knights Radiant's powers/spren derived from both Honor and Cultivation? As it seems each order has a has a power of nature e.g. light gravity etc
If yes, what powers would Odium give the Knights Radiants, if he where forced to empower them? And would there be any additional oaths they would need to swear to use these powers?
Everything in the books is alluding to Damnation and the Tranquiline Halls being one and the same. Is this true or is it more separate countries in the same landmass? And what is the general landscape of this alternate dimension?
Brandon Sanderson
These questions stray into RAFO type territory, which I try not to delve too deeply into on twitter. (Because of the short space I have to reply.) But there are some hints in the links [SandersonArmy] included...
Dr Richard Hussey
I want to see some [Brandon Sanderson Lego] in this world. How do we get this to happen, people?
Brandon Sanderson
I'd be on board for sure!
Charles Smith
I always pictured Skullmoss looking a bit like the ash on these logs - would you say it's an accurate comparison?
Brandon Sanderson
That is pretty close.
Alvaro Lopez
Why Odium is stronger and worst evil than Ruin?
Brandon Sanderson
One reason is that Ruin had a person in control of it who, for many years, fought against the impulse to destroy--and in the end, channeled it toward entropy and decay, necessary elements of the universe. Odium represents something else entirely.
Cady McKinnon
[Dark One], IMHO, has "secret project" written all over it. Anyone care to confirm?
Peter Ahlstrom
It’s not the secret project. Brandon talked about this with Dark One in his State of the Sanderson in December, but not with specifics.
Secret project is a lot less exciting, for me.
Joe ST
Quick question about an obscure (mentioned once) name in my copy of Way of Kings: Nelda is one of the people that died on Kaladin (wok 67), is this maybe the same person as Nalma?
Peter Ahlstrom
Yep, it's supposed to be fixed
Eric Peters
Which universe is [Skyward]?
Peter Ahlstrom
It IS connected to something else Brandon has written. You'll figure it out when you read it.
Aurélien Thieriot
Oh, by the way, are we talking about a new series or a standalone [for Skyward]? :)
Peter Ahlstrom
A trilogy like The Reckoners was.
Wubdor
Can't wait to get my hands on that new Roshar map! Any chance there's going to be more, not yet released world maps? (i.e. Elendel, Threnody, Nalthis, First of the Sun) I wanna frame them all! Also, having Cognitive Realm versions of them would be sick!
Isaac Stewart
Glad you like the maps! We've talked about creating a poster of Elendel, so I suspect you'll see that at some point. As for the others, we'll continue to map them as Brandon explores them, so I think there's a good chance of eventually seeing a lot of the places you mentioned.
Brandon Sanderson
Just finished and turned in the sequel to Skyward, so huzzah! Next on my list is to get some revisions done on a few smaller projects. In January, it will be time for Stormlight 4. (I do promise to find time for the last Wax and Wayne book somewhere too.)
Harrel Rinehart
If a piece of normal metal is in a box of aluminium can the piece of normal metal be sensed by a Lurcher/Coinshot?
Peter Ahlstrom
No.
John Aspler
Just finished Oathbringer (ahhhhhhsogood) and decided to do a Warbreaker reread. Was super happy to discover that the e-book edition had your annotations. Any chance others will get an update based on existing annotations (e.g., Elantris, Mistborn)?
Peter Ahlstrom
That’s not planned for the other books.
Jennifer Thomas-Bryant
Are all currency-grade gems cut gemstones? Or are chips literal chips and splinters that are essentially uncut?
Peter Ahlstrom
They're all cut gemstones.
Argent
You guys want to try [foil maps] for the other worlds too in the future?
Isaac Stewart
There's a chance of this. We'll see how these go.
Byron King
Has there been any discussion about making the Allomantic Table print with the foiling process from the Roshar map?
Isaac Stewart
We haven't discussed this. But maybe that's something we could do down the road once the Hemalurgic Table has been released.
Pagerunner
Any in-world significance to the new symbols for E and U [on the Badali Mistborn rings]? (Tin/Pewter with dots moved) Or is that just creative liberty to give each English letter a unique symbol for the jewelry?
Isaac Stewart
From the beginning, I built the symbols to also be an alphabet. Moving the dot to create a different vowels sound is something I borrowed from baybayin: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1b/9c/6f/1b9c6f22fce5589c1d3dfc62bfc1d4b2.jpg … Also planned from the beginning over ten years ago. The rings are the first chance to use it. :)
Matthew Tidman
I just finished an ARC of Skyward. Is the world connected to Defending Elysium? There are some vague similarities between the two.
Peter Ahlstrom
The connection is probably as you think.
Oversleep
Hey, Brandon told me to ask you this: Which ear did Vin have her earring in?
Peter Ahlstrom
Left.
Katelyn
Will we ever get the symbols of Austre?
Isaac Stewart
Possibly. It really depends on Brandon's plans for Nalthis and what he decides to focus on should there be a sequel.
Adonalsium
is Mag # just a scifi way to say Mach #? If not, what does it mean?
Peter Ahlstrom
Mag is about 300 miles per hour.
Adonalsium
Are the boosters airbreathing or rocket boosters? If rocket, what fuel do they use?
Peter Ahlstrom
This might be explained in book 2. But I think it's something very sci-fi rather than propellant-based. They're not airbreathing, for sure.
Katelyn
I am interested to know the concept behind the cosmere symbol in [Arcanum Unbounded].
Isaac Stewart
This came about after about a dozen or two other sketches, some more complex, some less. Some more laden with meaning; some less. We wanted something simple and evocative of the cosmology. There IS some symbolism here; see the 16 points on the inner star....
Katelyn
The thoughts are the 16 points are Adonalsium, the 3 shapes around are the 3 realms. The other is that the symbol is meant to represent the movement of the shards throughout the cosmere.
Isaac Stewart
Each point you mention is something I considered when designing the symbol and intentionally built into it. Glad people are seeing it!